Radio Broadcast:

Key words:

Lobbying Government/ Seven Sisters Clean up/ Alternatives to plastics/Microbeads/Christmas and Recycling/DPC

We are busy these weeks tackling various areas of concern and interest to us and holding meetings with Government on traffic, development, pollution and more.

We shall post updates on progress on our webpage.

You may have seen some news in the media of a group of ESG volunteers carrying out a clean up at Seven Sisters, now a protected area that collects marine debris with the tides and given its remote location, very difficult to clean on a regular basis. However, with the community support behind CUTW we can and have tackled this site since 2008 removing historic dumping of waste of significant proportions, filling many skips over the years. Today we can confidently predict the task will be somewhat smaller as we deal with the waste that has floated in during the past 12 months. Still, large volumes of plastics of all types and Styrofoam – the packaging material that is so prevalent in every aspect of our lives, is still found there in horrendous quantities, and we filled six 1 ton sacks. The issue of Styrofoam needs exploring further as to how more of this can be removed. This petroleum based plastic material breaks down into very small particles and can be mistaken for food so clearly a threat to nature and the food chain.

Still, our clean up was a very positive if tiring few hours for our group leaving the site looking a lot better. Thanks to the GDP for boat access and GibDock for eventual lifting up of rubbish collected. Future clean ups will be published and volunteers are welcome.

While many are rightly concerned about the major issue of plastic pollution there is also a rising tide of solutions, technologies and ideas to deal with this issue. Biodegradable alternatives for all single use plastics should also become enforceable by law and soon.

Following on from the efforts by Govt, businesses and NGOs recently to highlight the need for action on the elimination of plastic bags, this week’s publication on microbeads legislation by the Gibraltar Government is also welcomed. The world needs more of this action.

Citizens can all help by using less of these materials where possible. As we now look ahead to Christmas, Black Friday and manic shopping sprees the impact on waste and the environment will also peak – we urge everyone to help by being responsible with their waste and aiming to reduce and recycle as much as possible! We shall be holding an open day on the 6^th December mainly aimed at Eco Art but with a Green Christmas theme. More details will be published beforehand.

Before we go a reminder that the Planning Commission will meet next Tuesday 28^th November with the final 2017 session taking pace on the 15^th December. You can upload agendas from the Town Planning DPC page and the public are welcome to attend mtgs, which start from 9.30am.

You can find more information about our general concerns and aims at esg-gib.net. Call us in 200-48996 or email us at esg@gibtelecom.net

ESG Press Release 16^th November 2017

Seven Sisters Coastline Cleared of Plastics and harmful waste

CUTW Campaign continued its work last weekend with a group of volunteers tackling the beautiful coastline known as Seven Sisters. The Gibraltar Defence Police Marine Section helped us on and off the site with the team getting down to an intense period of activity for around 4 hours duration.

While this area has seen clean ups for the past 9 years, with many skip loads of historic dumping removed, each year sees fresh marine debris brought in with the tide. A lot of this is trapped in the upper reaches of the beach, while some closer to the waters edge is at risk of re-entering the sea during winter storms.

It is with great satisfaction therefore that the volunteers were able to remove six x 1-ton sacks of non-biodegradable waste, mainly plastics, Styrofoam and a number of large objects, leaving a much cleaner environment in our wake. A full report is being produced and will shortly be submitted to the Ministry for the Environment who has upgraded this zone to protected status in recent years.

Thanks to all volunteers, to the GDP, to GibDock for assisting with crane removal of the waste, and to the Dept. of the Environment for assistance rendered also.

You can find out more about this beautiful part of Gibraltar’s coastline by visiting the online real-time underwater footage at:

http://www.thinkinggreen.gov.gi/index.php/gib-nature-cams/underwater-camera

Also visit this link for some pictures of the clean up:- 

https://www.yourgibraltartv.com/society/15846-nov-20-big-clear-up-of-plastics-and-harmful-waste-at-seven-sisters-coastline

Radio news broadcast 9th November on Radio Gibraltar

Key words:     Public debate –    ESG Objectives –    New Power Station and LNG –     Maritime Pollution Transport  –    Construction –    New waste plant –   Sewage Treatment –     Seven Sisters Clean up coming up!

Hi there  – We would like to provide an update on matters of local environmental issues which we know matter to many. Indeed this week saw a public debate led by an MP on environmental issues.

Our aims and concerns as a grassroots environmental NGO can be found on our website at esg-gib.net – under objectives, and an easy read of all local and regional environmental issues. We have been lobbying for these since the year 2000 and have called for cross party consensus for environmental action and policy and will continue to work for these objectives.

Turning to the new power station and LNG plant- new equipment has arrived which includes real-time monitoring systems and we look forward to being able to see these first-hand soon. This measure was a critical factor that gave us some peace of mind knowing that emissions will be transparently monitored with information fed publicly via an online system, much as the existing air monitoring data is at present. More news on this soon.

We also are working on issues of maritime pollution by following up with the relevant authorities on measures we would like to see in place that will help reduce pollution levels and impacts. This is vitally important to see achieved before the next wave of hot weather is upon us.

 Transport issue is a big concern for everyone including the ESG and we are also following up on this with mtgs with policy makers to present our issues directly and press for the aims set out in the Sustainable Transport and Traffic Plan.

Construction works and new developments are also being widely felt today and a concern to many. We call for the new Town Act to be published without further delay and for more details to be provided by Government on major developments as well as on their vision for the rest of our homeland.

 As we continue to grow, our basic services must be completed, such as our sewage treatment plant, new power station that will allow feed in from micro renewable energy systems and the new Waste Park, that will manage all our waste to high stds locally and maximise recycling. We continue to monitor these.

 These projects, coupled with a bold transport plan to clear our streets, manage traffic and improve air quality, will take us into a better environmental space. Clearly where and how we develop Gibraltar’s remaining open spaces should be a matter for the whole community and this is under considerable pressure at present and is worthy of greater scrutiny and debate.

Food for thought indeed.

This weekend will see our volunteers in action once again removing harmful plastics from a beautiful coastal site known as Seven Sisters that wasn’t tackled at our last clean up. Hope you continue to think plastics too and reduce your own use as much as possible and do your bit on this growing environmental threat.

Thanks for listening!